Collapsible boat.



Y. A. BOUGET.

coLLAPsmLE son.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. l5, 1915. v 1,181,635 Patented May 2, 1916.

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Y. A. BOUGET.

COLLAPSIBLE BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED nec. 15. 191s.

1,181,636. Patented May 2,1916.

h 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. 3G x N Q \\i YVES ANDRE BOUGET, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVNIA COLLAPSIBLE BOAT.

Speciilcation of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1916.

Application filed December 15, 1915. Serial No. 67,032.

T o all whom t may concern Be it known that l', YvEs ANDR Bopon'r, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have 1nvented certain newi and useful Improve ments in Collapsible Boats, of which the following is a specification. t

My invention relates to improvements 1n collapsible boats or boat-hulls.

An important object of the invention 1s to provide a collapsible boat-hull, which is non-sinkable to a high degree, and having means to prevent undue tilting.

A further object of the invention is to provide simple and reliable means for retaining the sections of the boat-hull distended, and for holding them, when collapsed for the purpose of shipment or 'the like, against undue displacement or rattling.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a collapsible boat embodying my invention, Fig. 2 is a similar view, parts being shown in central vertical longitudinal section, Fig. 3 is a plan View of the boat, Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3, Fig. 5 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional view through the boat, with its parts collapsed, and, Fig. 6 is a detail section through the transverse bar showing its engagement with the expansion rod.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 10 designates a central hull-section having a keel 11 rigidly secured to its bottom. The top of this hull-section has an opening for the passage of a man. The central hull-section 10 tapers toward its ends, as shown.

Disposed upon opposite sides of the central hull-seetion 1() are sets of collapsible hull-sections 15, 16, 17, and 18, which are tapered and decrease in diameter outwardly, as shown. Each of these collapsible hullsections is provided at its large end with an exterior groove 19, receiving packing rings 20, for preventing leakage. The inner ends of each of the hull-sections 15, 16, and 17 are closed by partitions or heads 21, rigidly secured thereto, as shown. The'inner ends of one of the hull-sections 18 is open, while the inner end of the other hull-section 18 is closed by a partition or head 18, as shown. It is thus apparent that when the hull-sections 15, 16 and 17 and one hull-section 18 are distended and held in such position, they serve as air tight compartments or bulk heads, preventing the sinking of the boat.

Rigidly connected with the partition 21 of the hull-section 17 is a tube 22, which is horizontally arranged and extends longitudinally of this hull-section. The tube 22 has its outer end mounted to reciprocate withina larger tube 23, extending longitudinally within the hull-section 16 and rigidly secured to its partition 21. The tube 23 has its outer end mounted to reciprocate within a tube 24, of larger diameter, rigidly attached to the partition 21 of the hull-section 15 and to its outer end 25. The tubes 22, 23 and 24 are adapted to telescope each other, and when the hull-sections are collapsed, as illustrated in Fig. 5, such tubes serve to hold these hull-sections in spaced relation against undue displacement. To aid these tubes in fulfilling this function, I preferably employ a removable rod 25, passed through an opening in the partition 18 and extending into the tubes 22, as shown. However, this rod is entirely removedwhen the hull-sections are distended.

Means are provided to lock each set of collapsible .hullsections 15, 16, 17, and 18 in the distended or outer position, comprising a rod 26, formed in sections 27, hinged or pivotally connected, as shown at 27. This rod is inserted through the tubes 22, 23 and 24 and is held thereby against undue bending or folding. The outer end of the rod contacts with the end 25 of the hull-section 15, which is preferably provided at this point of contact with a. block 28.

The numeral 29 designates a removable horizontal transverse bar, rigidly and detach-ably connected with the outer end of the hull-section 10. While this detachable connection may be effected by any suitable means, an example of the same is shown in the form of U-shaped holding members or sockets, rigidly mounted upon the inner sides of the hull-section 10. These holding members or sockets do not project inwardly sufficiently to prevent the inward telescoping movement of the hull-section 18. Each bar 29 is provided with a boss 30, having a screw-threaded opening, for receiving' an enlarged cylindrical portion 31, which is also screw-threaded, and formed upon the inner end of the rod 26. A hand wheel 32 is rigidly connected with the inner end of this rod for turning it.

Means are provided to prevent undue tilting of the boat, comprising stabilizing casof the central hull-section 10, as shown. The shells 33 are provided in their tops with removable plugs 33. The ends of these stabilizing shells are closed while their bottoms 34 are open, thus permitting the passage of water therein. Each shell 33 is provided at its top with an opening which is normally closed by a removable plug 33', whereby the shells may be filled with water to the water level, when the boat is in the normal horizontal position. By this means a column of water isl maintained in the elevated shell and an air cushion in the lowered shell. As shown in Fig. 4, the boat has tilted to the left. The water is compressing air Within the stabilizing shell 33 to the left, while the vacuum within the stabilizing shell 33 to the right retains a column of water therein, these two shells thus serving to return the boat to its normal position.

In the use of the boat, With the hull-sections distended, the rods 26 lock them in such positions. When it is desired to collapse the huil-sections, these rods are rotated by manipulation of the hand wheels 32, so that the cylindrical portions 31 disengage the bosses 30, subsequently to which the rods 2G are removed. The bars 29 are then removed. The hull-sections 15, 16. 17 and 18, are then moved inwardly with respect to the hull-section 10, and collapsed. the same occupying a telescoping relation within the central hull-section. Particular attention is called to the fact that the telescoping tubes 22, 23, and Q4 being rigidly connected with the collapsible hull-sections, together with the rod 25, hold these hullsections against undue displacement when thus collapsed.

It is'to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape. size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus claim:

1. A collapsible boat of the character described, comprising a relatively stationary described the invention. 1

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the ings or shells 33, rigidly attached to the sides 1 hull-section tapering toward one-end, telescoping collapsible hull-sections 'tapering toward their outer ends with the inner end of the inner hull-Section telescoping within the outer end of the relatively stationary hull-section, a transverse bar arranged Within and secured to the relatively stationary hull-section, and a Vrod adjustably connected with the transverse bar and extending Within and through the telescoping collapsible hull-sections to contact with the outer-most hull-section.

2. A boat of the character described, comprising a relatively stationary hull-section, telesooping collapsible hull-sections arranged adjacent the relatively stationary hull-section with the inner end of the inner hullsection telescoping within the adjacent end of the relatively stationary hull-section, ,a transverse bar removably mounted within the relatively stationary hull-section` and a rod detachably connected with the transverse bar and extending within and through the collapsible hull-sections to retain them. in the open position.

3. A collapsible boat of the character de scribed, comprising a relative-ly stationary hullsection, a set of telescoping collapsible hull-sections arranged adjacent the relatively stationary hullsections, and having corresponding ends closed and the inner end of the inner hull-section arranged Within the adjacent end of the relatively stationary hullsection, and means to hold the collapsible hull-sections in the open position.

4. A boat of the character described, com prising a plurality of telescoping collapsible hull-sections having corresponding ends closed, and means to hold the hull-sections in the open position.

A boat of the character described, comprising a plurality of telescoping collapsible hull-sections. a corresponding number of telescoping tubes arranged within the hullse-ctions and connected therewith, and an element extending through the tubes to retain the hull-sections in the open position.

6. A boat of the character described, comprising a plurality of teleecoping collapsible hull-sections having correspondingv ends .closed by partitions, and a corresponding number of telescoping tubes extending longitudinally within the hull-sections and connected with the partitions thereof.

In testimony whereof l aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

YVES ANDRE BOUGET. lVitnesses'.

J. A. ZILCH, J. D. CHADWICK.

Gommssioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

